A Dad And Son Renovated A School Bus And It's Cooler Than Any Tour Bus

When Patrick Schmidt set out to downsize his home and "check out of the game" in favor of creating his own path, he had something different in mind than the typical tiny home. Rather than buying a motor home or building an entirely new space, he and his dad renovated an old school bus instead.

The project began in 2015, when Patrick bought the baby blue 1990 school bus from a church for $4,500. He drove it from Long Beach, California to Las Vegas, where he and his dad set to work on making it a home (armed with food and moral support from his mom, too).

Using materials mostly from Home Depot and Amazon, the pair made it into something Schmidt now lives and travels in – after it was fully renovated, he went on a 10,000 mile road trip, and has since visited all 50 states.

On the bus, Schmidt has a dorm-sized mini-fridge and separate freezer, but no microwave, coffee maker, or oven. He uses a hot plate to make one-pot meals, brew coffee with the help of an aluminum espresso maker, and occasionally cook up stir-fry or pancakes with a fry pan. The relatively small space has helped Schmidt reduce waste.

"[The fridge] allows me to buy and store exactly what I need and what will fit, and I barely ever throw anything away because I I know what I have and need to get rid of for space," Schmidt said.

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